


Hope

by flootzavut



Series: Lie to NCIS [17]
Category: Lie to Me (TV), NCIS
Genre: Angst, Angst and Feels, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Awesome Foursome, Because perfect tag is perfect, Callian - Freeform, Callian focused, Crossover, Developing Friendship, Developing Relationship, F/F, F/M, Friends With Benefits, Friendship, GxC, GxK, JxK, Kate Lives, Kate/Gill, Kibbs, Lie to NCIS, and we never get anywhere BECAUSE THEY'RE BOTH DAFT AS DOORBELLS, foursomeverse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-25
Updated: 2016-04-25
Packaged: 2018-06-04 11:34:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,081
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6656254
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flootzavut/pseuds/flootzavut
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Gillian indulges in some people watching, and has a heart to heart - of sorts - with Cal.</p>
<p>Crib notes for the fandom blind included!</p>
            </blockquote>





	Hope

**Author's Note:**

> Kate lives!AU. Post LTM canon, playing fast and loose with NCIS canon as it suits me, in a 'verse where Kate is still alive and working for NCIS.
> 
> NCIS folks: Gill and Cal are experts in lie detection, using facial expression (reading emotion), vocal stress analysis and other expertise. The Lightman Group helps various law enforcement agencies and other people when the truth is at stake.
> 
> LTM folks: Kate and Gibbs are federal agents who work for NCIS, investigating crimes affecting the US Navy or Marines. Kate is ex-Secret Service. Gibbs is a team leader and is reknowned for his gut instincts.

* * *

**_Hope_ **

* * *

 

Gill's always enjoyed people watching - it kind of came with the territory, after all, even when she was just a psychologist. These days, it's practically in her job description, and it's all but impossible to turn off even when she wants to.

In recent weeks, though, it's gone from being a habit to something of an addiction whenever she sees Kate and Gibbs together. She's entranced, maybe the tiniest bit jealous, and entirely fascinated, and as she and Kate get closer, all those emotions seem to become stronger.

She's not sure how much is because it's occurred to her to be watching for it, and how much is Gibbs becoming more relaxed around Kate, but Gill can't help noticing how these days he seems to touch her more casually and comfortably and just plain more often than he used to. It always gets a reaction, and Gill is intimately aware of how enjoyable it is to tease a reaction of some kind out of Kate.

More aware, in fact, than Gibbs is - her only sadness in watching Kate and Gibbs edge their way to something more than friendship is that it pretty much means she and Kate will be over, will have to go back to being 'just friends', and Gill is way more attached than she ever meant to get.

Friends with benefits was never supposed to be anything more than mutual comfort, a way to keep each other sane while they waited for the men in their lives to get a clue. She definitely wasn't supposed to ache at the idea of it ending.

There is one unforeseen benefit in the meantime, because Gibbs being more handsy with Kate without actually making a move means Kate has a lot of sexual frustration to work off, and Gill is oh so very happy to help.

And of course, she can't help seeing how adorable they are together, how Gibbs softens and Kate glows, and while a selfish part of her wants to keep Kate to herself for as long as possible, another part wants to go yell at them and tell them to just kiss already.

She's not close enough to overhear their conversation, but she can hear Gibbs' tone, see the mischievous look on his face, and watch Kate get all flustered, turning pink, her dimples deepening, her laughter even as she blushes at whatever he's saying.

They make a freakishly attractive couple. Each of them is good-looking in their own right, but the way they look at each other, the way they light up around one another... she feels like she's watching some delightfully schmaltzy LifeTime romance. Gibbs reaches out to tuck a strand of hair behind Kate's ear, and the tenderness of his smile is really something.

She's so absorbed she doesn't notice Cal until he quietly sits down beside her, and when she glances at him, he chuckles. "Lovebird watching, eh?"

"Guilty as charged." She shrugs. "I can't help it. It's like a romance novel but better, and I don't care if that makes me a sap. Though waiting for Gibbs to actually do something is killing me."

He smiles at her, gentler and more indulgent than he usually is when he's teasing her about her sentimentality. "Give the guy a chance, Gill."

She rolls her eyes. "He's had eight years," she points out.

"Yeah but..." Cal turns to look at Kate and Gibbs and shakes his head. Gill's not sure whether he can't help looking or if he's trying to avoid her scrutiny. "When you've been friends that long, y'know, it's hard, it's scary to risk it on something more. I dunno, I just- I s'pose I can see why he'd be nervous to take the next step." He shrugs, his shoulders up around his ears and his body language suggesting it isn't just Gibbs who's afraid.

"Maybe sometimes the risk is necessary," she says gently.

"Dun't make it easy though, eh?" He risks a glance in her direction, and she wonders if it's her imagination he looks like he's pleading with her.

She's not sure what for. Patience? For her to make the move? Or maybe for her to understand he's never going to take the risk.

She searches his face, and it's such a mixture of emotions, and it's Cal, and she doesn't trust herself to read him accurately.

Their eyes lock for a long, long moment, and she wonders if he's having as much trouble deciphering her expression as she is deciphering his.

"Well," he continues eventually, his voice quieter now, "maybe he'll figure things out, if she just hangs on a little bit longer."

"Maybe she's tired of waiting."

"Maybe he'll make sure it's worth the wait."

He's looking at her so intently, his mouth slightly open, eyes dark and full. She still doesn't trust her read of his face, but she's always been better with voices than with faces, and his voice is begging her to give him a chance, to wait, to keep trusting he'll come through.

She sighs, gives him a wry smile. "After all this time, it had better be." She injects a note of playful threat into her words, and is rewarded by a grin full of mischief as he picks up on it.

"Oh, I'd put  _money_  on it, darling." He waggles his eyebrows, and she can't help laughing at him and his ridiculousness.

She looks back over at where Kate and Gibbs are also laughing together over something. Gibbs touches Kate's face, and Kate flushes a very becoming shade of dark pink.

"I just hope it works out in the end," she says softly, wistfully. She still believes in happy endings, foolish as it so often seems even to her.

Cal shuffles closer to her and wraps his arm companionably around her ribcage. "They'll get there, love." There's no tease now, just sincerity and warmth. His thumb rubs gently at her side, and with a shake of her head, she allows herself to relax into him.

"Promise?" Now she's the one who's pleading - asking both for Kate and for herself.

He drops a kiss on the top of her head, then rests his cheek against her hair. "I have no doubt," he murmurs.

"Good." She gives in, slips her arm around his waist, and lets her head snuggle down into his shoulder. As reassurance goes, as a reason not to give up hope... well, it's as good as she's going to get.

_~ fin ~_


End file.
